On Monday an Amtrak train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago struck a dump truck at an uncontrolled crossing in Mendon, Missouri.
Eight cars and two locomotives on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief derailed killing two onboard and injuring dozens more. The driver of the truck was also killed.
As passengers escaped the overturned cars, a group of young men who happened to be on board rushed to help those in need of more assistance.
Dan Skrypczak, the scout master of Troop 73 from Appleton, Wisconsin, said once his 15-year-old son got out of the train he rushed towards the driver of the dump truck and comforted him during his final moments.
“He’s a typical 15-year-old, he thinks he’s Superman, should’ve been able to save this guy,” he told the New York Post.
Two Boy Scout troops were traveling on the train when it derailed.
Almost immediately after the accident the scouts, who ranged in age from 13 to 17, jumped into action.
They assisted in any way they could by breaking windows, helping people climb out and off of the train, and comforting the truck driver.
“I’m proud of them. One scout wrapped his hand, took his shirt off, wrapped his hand to break some windows to get people out. Another scout went and comforted the driver of the truck that was hit and tried to stabilize him,” Skrypczak told WBAY.
“They were tandem working on that gentleman when he expired, so that scout is pretty shook up.”
The Boy Scouts, who were returning home from a weeklong backpacking trip in New Mexico, couldn’t have been more prepared.
“These scouts are highly trained. They would have received advanced first aid training prior to going, including their adult leaders would have had people with wilderness first aid certification, which is a pretty advanced course,” Scott Armstrong, director of national media relations with the Boy Scouts of America, said.
Luckily no one was seriously injured. Two of the eight adults accompanying the teens were transported to the hospital, and one Boy Scout was kept at the hospital for his injuries, but they were not life-threatening.
Nicole Tierney, whose son Owen was on the train, said once she heard from him she was relieved.
And once she learned how her son’s troop responded she was “very proud. Very proud of how some of our boys helped with some of the injured passengers and how they were willing to put themselves aside. That’s just what Boy Scouts do.”
Thank you to these brave Boy Scouts for stepping up and helping the injured. And thank you to the scout who comforted the driver during his final moments.
